Pierce knots game with 9.2 seconds remaining in regulation 

WINCHENDON, Mass. (Januray 29, 2005) - The Franklin Pierce ice hockey battled to a 2-2 tie with ECAC Northeast opponent Assumption College this afternoon at the Robinson-Broadhurst Arena in Winchendon, Mass. The Ravens trailed by one goal late in regulation, but junior Jason Pierce (Maynard, Mass./Nashoba Regional) sent the game to overtime, as he found the net for the second time of the day.

Pierce opened the scoring 5:31 into the second period, when he took feeds from sophomore Chuck Matthews (Needham, Mass./Bridgton Academy) and junior tri-captain Mark Gibbons (Quincy, Mass./Archbishop Williams). Assumption knotted the game at one on a Scott Hersom (Gardiner, Maine/Hebron Academy) marker in the 16^th minute of the second frame.    

The game remained scoreless until junior Kevin Cotter (Franklin, Mass./Catholic Memorial) took a pass from classmate Geno DeAngelis (Winthrop, Mass./Winthrop) to net the go-ahead goal at the 15:49 mark of the third period. Pierce scored the equalizer on a six-on-four advantage with less than 9.2 seconds remaining in regulation, sending the game to overtime.

Ice Dogs junior goaltender Sean O'Leary (Windham, Maine/Westbrook) and Franklin Pierce netminder Dennis Millman (Billerica, Mass./Kimball Union) posted shutouts in the overtime period, and the game ended in a 2-2 tie. For the game, Assumption out-shot the hosts 45-36. Millman saved 43 shots, while O'Leary stopped 34.  

The game marked the first tie for Franklin Pierce this season and second in program history. The program's only other tie came on December 11, 2002, when they ended in a 4-4 deadlock with Plymouth State. The Ravens also played in their first overtime contest of the season and first since February 16, 2004, when they defeated Plymouth State 3-2.

Franklin Pierce (5-9-1, 1-3-0 NE-10, 4-6-1 ECAC-NE) will take the ice again on Wednesday, when they host Framingham State College for an ECAC Northeast Conference clash beginning at 7 p.m. Assumption (6-8-2, 1-3-0 NE-10, 3-2-1 ECAC-NE) plays again on Tuesday, as they travel to ECAC Northeast Conference foe Johnson and Wales for their second of three straight road games starting at 7 p.m.

Game Statistics

Assumption 2, Franklin Pierce 2

Scoring Summary

First Period:
No Scoring

Second Period:  
FP: Jason Pierce (Chuck Matthews, Mark Gibbons) 5:31
ASM: Scott Hersom (Bobby Fanciullo, Jeff Iloven) 16:44

Third Period:
ASM: Kevin Cotter (Geno DeAngelis )15:49
FP: Pierce (Duke Kelley, Matt DePuydt) 19:50.8

Goaltenders:
ASM: Sean O'Leary (65:00) 34 saves, 2 goals against
FP: Dennis Millman (64:40.8) 43 saves, 2 goals against

Shots on Goal:
ASM: 15-13-14-3-45
FP: 11-11-13-1-36

Three Stars:
1^st Star: Jason Pierce (FP)
2^nd Star: Dennis Millman (FP)
3^rd Star: Sean O'Leary (ASM)